Means for drawing curtains and the like



July 7, 1931. w. E. KIMBER MEANS FOR DRAWING CURTAINS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 1% 1928 2 Sheets-Shes! l Jul 7, 1931. w. E. KlMBER MEANS FOR DRAWING CURTAINS AND THE LIKE- Filed Aug. 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 7, 1931 I 7 Ji V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER EDWARD KIMBER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND I MEANs on DRAWING oun'ranvs AND THE LIKE Application filed Ang s c716, 192s, seria1 m. 3o0,0e1, and in Great Britain August is, 1927;

f This invention relatesto a new or ind; proved method of and means fordrawing curtains or the like and has for its object to lessen Wear and tear, increase the length of life of the curtain and at the same time to ensure eflicient and easy openingand clos-v ing thereof.

Curtains-are usually drawn by cords or the like attached to the rings or the like, '01 to the curtains themselves, and the opening as Well as the'closing is effected by pulliing on the first of the hooks supporting the curtain. Thus, in closingor unfolding, the

curtain, the first hook or adjacent part is subjected to a pull which is continued throughout the Operation and thefolds being gradually unfolded and drawn, the re maining hooks are, also pulled although not to so great an extent as the first hook. Thus the hooks not only support the weight of the curtain but also transmit the pull of the actuating cords to the curtain. Such con; tinual straining, particularly on the first I hook, eventually results in the distortion and/or tearingof the curtain. This disadvantage is accentuated with the heavy curtains now in usecin kinemas and theatres and the avoidance of damage to such expensive 6 material is highly desirable.

According to this invention the objections noted are removed by arranging that the closing or unfolding of the curtain or the like commences at the following or last folds or pleats and continues progressively along the curtain to the first or leading fold. This operationis suitably effected by providinga' slidable device for supporting the curtaln rings or the like during their movement along the rod. porting devices merely support the weight of the curtain, the pulling strain of the actuating cords being taken mainly by the movable device. This movable device preferably consists of a slide or carrier mount-' ed on or 1n the curtain rod and formed withan upper inclined orcam surface so that as the device is traversed the curtain rings or the like are released or collected in an easy manner according to whether the our- 0 v 5 tain is being closed or opened. 7

In this manner the curtain sup-' its lower part, channel or trough e in which the lower edge through the slotd, sothat they are slidably In vorder-to enable the invention to be readily understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, illustrating several different constructions and arrangements by way of example, in which drawings=:

Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of means embodying these improvements for'the drawing of a doublecurtain, portions of the'con struction being broken'away to enable certain parts to bemore clearly seen, and for the sake of convenience the curtains are shorter and fewercurtain rings are shown than would be thecase in actual practice.

Figure 2 is'a planview partly in section of the apparatus shown in Figure l. a Figure 3 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1.

t Figure 4 is'a front-elevation illustrating the position of the right hand carrier shown in'Fi ure 1 in the folded or opened condib tionof the curtain. V I i A Figure 5 is an elevation, partly in section and having parts broken away, of a modified construction adapted for the drawing of a-single curtain. 1 Figure 6 isan'end view of the right hand end of Figure 5. I 1

Figure 7 is a section ontheline VIIVII ofFig'ure5.-" V ,f Figure S is a plan view partly in section of a modified arrangement for drawing a heavy double curtain v.

' Figure 9 is a perspective'vi'ew of-a modifiedform of carrier and curtain rod.

Figure 10 is a perspective view illustrating the application'of the invention to a curved curtain rod and Figure 11 is a perspective view of a modified construction of slidable carrier. Referring to the construction of apparatus shown in Figuresl to 4,0 is a tubular curtain rod supported by brackets 12 from a mounting c. 'Therod a is provided with a longitudinal slot cl in its upper part and, in

is formed with a. longitudinal of flat carriers f f are adapted to run, the upper edges of the carriers projecting guided within the rod. 7 I

to being A pulley g is mounted at one end of the rod a and a plug it formed with two parallel axial holes 1' i is fitted in the other end. The pulley g as shown in Figure 3 is revolubly 5 mounted on a spindle g the lower end of which rests in the trough e and the upper end of which is screw thread-ed and extended through'the slot d in thecurtain rod. Nuts 9 on the spindle g are adapted to grip the pulley are fixedly held in the rod,

Each slidable carrier 7 f is of flat formation suitably madeof wood,zvulcanite or fibre and formed at its leading end with a lug 7: having a recess kforcarrying a curtain ring Z which supports thefirst or leading hook m of a'curta'in. The following end of each carrierisformed with a hump or cam surface '0 oneend of which terminates at the level,- or slightly beneath the level, of the slot cl 'fthe curtain rod and the other end *merges int'o a horizontal portion n which extends slightlyabove the' level of the slot (Z towards' -the lug The bifurcated lugs flfi 'k aredirected towards theiniddle of'the length-(Bi thseurtaim-od as shown. If desired; a metal band 7); connected at its ends by a' screw p,- encircles each end of the cur tainrbd a, the up er portion -'of each band bent inwards to form aloo q" which is a aptedftoipermitthe passage of the respective 'sli-d able carrier therethrough, and at th -same time to limit-the travel of the movable curtain 'rin gstowards the extremi- M ties'of the" rod.

The- 'carriers f-' are-adapted tube slidable simultaneously in the eur-tain'rod 'by actufationof a cord theh'ole z in I the 40 'r"r'-for'med-in each end of thecarrier f. From the latter, the cordisco'ndu'cted round the pulley: 9 through holes-r?" similar to the holes 1 r, in the carrier-f and from thence it-is led'-throu"glr thehole'z"- in the plug it. The ends of the cord j then hang down and are adapted to be actuated mereIy by" the pull "onvoneor' other of the ends thereof to open or close the curtains.

iAs stated the fi'rst'cu'rtain ring Z and hook m of eachcurtaimare'supportedby" the lug lwwhile the' lasthook s is suspendedfrom an eye-t' mounted= on the under surface of the bracket 6. The remaining'intermedi'ate' rings Mare supported from the upper surface of the carriers'orby that portion of the curtain red situated between the stop device consti- 1 tilted by the 1 metal hand-p; and the middle :of the IOd.

In 0peration =and assuming thatthe curtainsare closed-and that itis desired to-open -theimtheend)" of the-cord is pulled and this "results in"the=carriers f f being drawn towafrtlsthe' ends F of the curtain rod. During their travel *the cam surfaces 0" engage the 1W eurmin' rin s t Sdthatdurin'g the-continued rod a between them so that the-spindle and j which ispassed through plug it and through holes:

travel of the carriers the rings are gradually forced over the humps or cams 0 on to the horizontal surfaces n. The lugs 72 cause the first hooks Z to communicate the motion to the ends of the curtains and, as soon as each carrier engages the next ring resting on the horizontal upper surface of the rod, the succeeding portion of the curtain is caused to travel towards the end of the rod. In succession, the rings are gradually crowded on to each carrier so that each curtain is progressively opened or folded. The stop devices p serve for preventing the rings 25 from being pushed any further towards the ends of therod while at the same time permitting the passage of the carriers, so that in the fully 'opened' or'folded condition of the curtains all the rings t are in position upon the car- "riers f f, as shown in Figure l, the sliding movement of the carriers f f being limited by the pulley g and plug h, respectively.

In the event of its being desired to unfold or close the curtains, the end j of the cord is pulled. This causes a travel of the carriers towards each other, so that the curtain rings t are gradually released from the carriers on to thecurtainrod' as'the carriers slide along,

the stationary end of the curtain being held by the'eye t and hook 8. Each pleat of the curtain is'conipletely drawn out before the neXt'curtaiirring is released due to the restraining action'of the'huinps 0. As shown in Figure 1 the last two rings of each curtain have been released from the carrier and a third is about to be dropped onto the curtain rod. However, the hump o'retains this ring'in position on the carrier so that the latter continues itstravel towards the middle ofthe curtain rod until the pleat a is completely unfolded. Upon thistaking' place the ring in question readily comes into contactwiththe' rod due to the inclination or curvature of the end ofthe carrier. 'The unfolding of the curtain proceeds in this manner until. the carriers contact at their lead-ing en'dswhereupon the curtains are fully unfolded. It will thus be seen that during the closing or unfolding of the curtain, no strain is imposed on the first hooks and transmitted' to the, leading end of the curtains. On the contrary, the arrangement permits the release of the rings which have reached the end of their travel from those carrie'dby the -n'1ovi11g parts of the curtain so that the first pleat is thela'st to be unfolded. Consequently, all detrimental strain on the curtain caused by the pu'll transmitted through the first and leading hooks, is avoided.

The inodilied construction of apparatus shownin' Figures 5, 6 and 7 is similar to that just'described, and shows a means whlch may suitably'be provided for the drawing of a single curtain. The ends of the curtain rod a, provide'dwvith' a slot (Z as before is fitted with "pulleys'which are preferably of material such 1 as vulcanite or fibre for producing noiseless running of the curtain drawing means. A grooved spherlcalpulley v is mounted ona vertical axis in a sleeve 3 fitted over and clamped on one end of the curtain rod by a bolt 30, and two cylindrical grooved pulleys w ware mounted "on a horizontal axis in a. sleeve 5 passed over the other end of the rod, the sleeve 5having parts-removed to afford access to the actuating cord This a cord is passed over thepulley w'- threaded I carriery so that it can be traversed from one end to the other of the curtain rod by thus adapted'forthe manipulation of the sliding in the guid'eway e and the slot d.

formed. inthe rod. In opening or folding i so the curtain, the appropriate end of thecord is pulled, whereupon the carrier travelsfro'mf the right-to the lef-thand end of the rod. v a The carrier has a lug is rising above the horizontal surface-e disposed above the level of the slot (Z in the curtain rod, as before. The other end of the carrier, however, terminatesflin a downwardly inclinedsurface y extending to the level or beneaththe level,

of the slot al Thus, the travel of the carrierin onedirection causes-the curtain ringst to ride up the incline 3] on to the horizontal formation, such as e in Figure 1, for guiding portion a The curtain rings are,therefore, conveyed. with the carrier owing to the stop formed by the lug is as previouslydescribed.-

A sleeve 1 is fixed around one end of the rod by a set screw 2 this sleevebeing of such diameter that it. arrests the last ring t on contacting with the latter, consequently limiting the further movement of the following rings also, but permits the passage of the carrier,'sothat when the folding or closing of the curtain is totake place, all

the curtain rings t are in position onthe carriers The last hook of the curta'in-issupported from an extension at of a sleeve; 3 in which the spherical pulley '2 is mounted. In

closing or unfolding the curtain,v the carrier is traversed from left to right byf actuating the appropriate end of the cord so that the ringsare' gradually released from the carrier 1 as the latter travels, as hereinbefore described. --1 T Figure 8 illustrates a modified construction for the mounting of a double curtain. Curtain rods 6 and 7 are formed with slots and provided with carriers 8 and stop devices15 as hereinbefore described. j The two rods are connected together at oneend bya U-piece '9 in which a pulley 10 is mounted and a double sleeve 11 is, fitted over the other ends of the rods and supports a spindle 12 on i which two pulleys 13,:14 areprevolubly mountedh p p i i Naturally, the sect-ion'of the rod may be other than circular and the rod may be curved ably formed as hereinbefore described.

may be formed with a web 30 on itsupper surface, this web having a lug 31 supporting the first curtain ring and having an inclined surface or hump, and a'horizontal portion as described with reference to the preceding constructions. However, the upper, surface of the carrier or carriers employed'in connection .withQany one of the constructions described may be modified in any convenient manner,-for facilitatlng the releaseand color-it, may be a blade spring, so as .to conform readily not only with the straight portions but also with the curved portions of therod, the upper surface of such carrier being suit- In order to avo-idthe provision of a trough the carrier, the latter may be formed, as shown in Figure 11 with part cylindrical blocks 33 connected to each of its flat sides,

so that the carrier slidably fits within the curtain rod without risk of jamming. The cords'j'are threaded through holes 1" and knotted at the ends.

When the invention is applied to large lection of the rings, during the'u'nfolding and folding respectively of the curtain. 3-1

and particularly heavy curtains it may be necessary to employ intermediate supports for the rod, in addition to the brackets b, and in this case 'a portion of eachof the rings t would-have -to'be broken away to-enable them to pass the intermediate supports, so, that these slidable rings are then more in the natureof hooks. v

I claim 1 s 1.- Apparatus for the draw ng ofcurtains comprising a curtain rod, curtain suspensory devices mounted onsaid rod, acarrier slidably: guided along said rod, a hump formation on the upper surface of said carrier and a connection for the leading suspensory device of the curtain provided on the leading end of said carrier;

j 2. Apparatus for the drawing of curtains comprising a curtain rod, a slidable carrier, curtain suspensory devices mounted on said rod, a hump formation on the uppersurface of said carrier, a lug formed on the leading end'of said carrier adapted to carry the leading suspensory device of the curtain, and a cable threaded through said carrier, and

adapted to traverse saidcarrier along the rod.

3. Apparatus for the drawing of curtains comprising a curtain rod formed with a longitudinal slot in its upper portion, and having a'guideway in its lower-portion, cable guiding devices mounted in each end of said rod, a carrier slidablein-said guideway with its upper surface projecting through the slot of said rod, a hump formation on the upper surface ofsaid-carrier, and a cable passed over'said guiding devices and connected to said carrier.

4. Apparatus for the drawing of curtains comprising a curtain rod formed with a longitudinal slot in its upper-portion and having a channel section guideway in its lower portion, curtain suspensory devices mounted on said rod, cable guiding devices-mounted ineach end of said rod, a fiat carrier slidable in said guideway with its upper surface projecting through the slot of said rod, a lug of the support for raising and'lowering said suspensory devices during folding and unfolding of the curtain, a cable guiding device on said support, and a cable passed over said device and connected to said carrier for traversing said carrier along the curtain support.

6. Apparatus for the d-rawing-of-curtains comprising a curtain support,'fiXed restrainingmeans on said support adapted for engaging one end of a. curtain, curtain suspensory devices mounted on said support, a carrier mounted in said curtain support and bodily slidable along said support and having a portion of its upper surface projecting above the upper surface of the support for raising and lowering said suspensorydevices during the folding and unfolding of the curtain, and means for traversing said carrier in the curtain support.

7. Apparatus for drawing of curtains comprising a horizontal slotted curtain rod, curtain suspensory devicesmounted-on said rod, a carrier bodily slidable along .said support and having a portion of its upper surface proj-ecting-above-the uppersurfaceof the support-for raising and lowering saidsuspensory devices-,-means for transversingsaid carrier ia ong' h od, d-a s op d vice f rsaid suspensorydevices located at the end of the rod.

8. Apparatus for the drawing of curtains comprising a curtain rod, curtain suspensory devices mounted on said rod, a carrier bodily slidable along said support and having a portion of its upper surface projecting above the uppersurface of the supportfor raising and lowering said suspensory devices formed with an upper surface adapted for coacting with the suspensory devices toretardtheir release from'thecarrier onto the rod, and

meansfor traversing said carrier along the curtaln rod.

'9. Apparatus for drawing curtalns comprising a horizontal curtain support, curtain suspensory devlces mounted on said support,

a carrier bodily slidable along said support and having a portion ofits upper surface pro- 'jecting abovetheupper surface of the support forraising and lowering said suspensory devices during folding and unfolding of the curtain, a connection on the end of said carrier for the leading-curtain suspensory device, and a fixed connectiononthe support for the last suspensory device.

10. Apparatus'for-the drawing of curtains comprising a curtain rod formed with a longitudinal slotin its upper portion, cur- =ta1n suspensory devices mounted on said rod,

aflat carrier bodily slidable along said devices and having a portion of its'upper surface projecting-through the slot, said upper tion for the leading curtain suspensory device formed on said carrier, a fixed connection on the support for the last suspensory device, a cable guiding device on saidvrod, and a cable passed over said device and connected to said carrier for traversing saidcarrier along the curtain rod.

12. Apparatus for drawing curtains comprising a horizontal tubular curtain rod formed with a longitudinal slot in its upper portion, fixed restraining means engaging one end of a curtain, suspensory devices mounted on said rod, a carrier bodily slidable along said rod and having a portion of its upper surface projecting above the upper surface of saidrod for raising and lowering said-suspensory device andadaptecl for carrying the curtain suspensory devices during movement of the curtain, and stop means mounted adjacent :the end of :said -rod in th path Qfvsaid-suspcnsory devices.

13. Apparatus for drawing curtains com prising a curved support, a curtain suspensory device mounted on the latter and a flexible carrier bodily slidable along said support and" having a portion of its upper surface projecting above the upper surface of the support for raising and lowering said suspensory device during folding and unfolding of the curtain. V

WALTER EDWARD KIMBER. 

